Advice on Building Wealth & Retirement Planning - A/B Conversations: CFP® Your Way Out Of It

People work hard to save for retirement. Then they retire and – the balancing act begins. Do they value preserving assets throughout retirement? If so, they might hold fast to their saving habits and continue to be frugal. Others may value their freedom of time and want to enjoy experiences by spending, spending, spending! But what if someone values both? Listen to Ben and Adam share how they help...

A lot of financial planning clients require the services of a tax professional. Then there are others whose phase of life and financial situation don’t necessarily require that level of help. But what about those who might be somewhere in the middle? Tune in to hear 5 different personal and/or financial situations where Adam and Ben suggest their clients outsource tax prep services to a qualified...

In this episode of AB Conversations, Ben and Adam delve into the financial planning concept of living off the income of savings and not cutting into the principle by comparing one’s savings to a "Golden Goose Laying Golden Eggs." They discuss scenarios where this concept applies, such as in retirement planning and when making major purchases or paying off debt, emphasizing the need to ba...

📈 Navigating the financial landscape in 2024! 📉 Ben and Adam discuss the impact of market recovery and the common question that comes up in conversation at the beginning of a new year: "should I change my investment strategy?" Tune in for valuable financial planning perspectives and market insights.  Tracking # T006761  Thanks for listening! If you want to be notified when the next epi...

💡 In the latest episode of A/B Conversations, Ben and Adam discuss different types of relationships with financial planners. 🤝 Are you seeking advice or a collaborative partner in your financial journey? Tune in to explore the nuances and find what aligns with your needs! Tracking # T006701  Thanks for listening! If you want to be notified when the next episode will be released, you can: Subscri...

What happens when things go sideways in your financial journey? From market fluctuations, healthcare costs, and unexpected expenses, Ben and Adam talk about how we plan for worst-case scenarios. This allows clients to feel prepared no matter what life throws at them and they can continue living the life they want to live 📈💼🤔  Tracking # T006562  Thanks for listening! If you want to be notified...

Planning for retirement? 🏖️🌴 Discover the power of 'likelihood of success' in mapping out your financial future. Learn from Benjamin Haas & Adam Werner as they share real-life scenarios and trade-offs in our latest podcast episode. 🗂️💡  Tracking # T006524  Thanks for listening! If you want to be notified when the next episode will be released, you can: Subscribe to the Show For mor...

In the world of financial planning, it's not just about numbers; it's also about understanding emotions and priorities. Join the conversation with Benjamin Haas and Adam Werner as they reveal the detective work behind effective financial planning through what they call whiteboarding. Get ready to think differently about your finances! 🕵️‍♂️💰 Tracking # T006201  Thanks for listening! If...

Ready to debunk the myth of completely avoiding taxes? Listen to our podcast as we explore the strategies, nuances, and misconceptions surrounding tax planning and if there's a silver bullet when it comes to paying taxes.  Thanks for listening! If you want to be notified when the next episode will be released, you can: Subscribe to the Show For more insights on everyday financial planning que...

Should I rent or buy my fun? As always, maybe! Ben and Adam discuss the ways we go through figuring out if it’s better to buy our fun, like a second property, a vacation home or a boat, or just rent it. A few factors to consider include upfront costs, ongoing expenses, carrying costs, taxes, and flexibility. If this is something you’re considering, tune in to see how these could impact your decisi...

A review of the first half of 2023: opportunities, risks, asset allocation, and highlights.  Join Ben and Adam as they reflect on the market during the first six months of this year and give their perspective on the investment outlook for the remainder of 2023. Here are some topics they cover in this episode: The risk of a recession in Europe  The Federal Reserve's strategy and response  Asse...

The Department of Education is calling this the “most ambitious and significant redesign of the federal student aid application in decades”   Major changes include:  Parents or guardians with more than one child in college will not receive a break or discount on their Expected Family Contribution (EFC)  Small business owners and family farms will no longer be able to exclude their business and far...

On our 100th episode, we discuss planning situations and strategies that go into preparing to live to age 100. Longevity is the biggest risk in retirement and it amplifies other risks such as cost of living, healthcare, inflation, and medical expenses.  As the more time goes by, the more things are likely to change if your life.  It's important to review your estate plan and financial plan on...

Life is constantly changing and it's important to review your financial plan and make any necessary adjustments so your finances are aligned with your goals and wishes.  It's also important to fill in any gaps before they become bigger items that are harder to address down the road.  A few things to review include: Cash reserve Estate documents Beneficiary designations Investment allocat...

Recently Carl Richards shared results from a study conducted by researchers at Harvard a few years ago.  In the experiment they gave people two options:  You could earn $50,000 a year, but everybody else in the world around you only earns $25,000.  You could earn $100,000, but everybody else around you was earning $200,000.  In those two scenarios, everything is equal, except for what you make and...

It's been almost 3 years since our last podcast episode on the 4% withdrawal rule: " Is The 4% Withdrawal Rule Dead? ".   What is the 4% withdrawal rule? It's the general idea that when you get to retirement, whatever the pool of money is that you have, you can theoretically safely withdrawal 4% of that balance every year until you pass without running out of money.  There are...

Most people are familiar with trusts through conversations or experiences with their parents or friends.  But just because the circumstances may have made sense for them to establish a trust, it doesn't mean that it is right for your situation today.  In this podcast episode, we discuss what a trust is and what it does.  We discuss circumstances where it may apply and where it may not.  And,...

Money is said to be one of the top causes of marital distress.  We sometimes joke that meeting with your financial planner can often feel like a combination of math class and marriage counseling. A big part of advising is listening, understanding, and communicating.  When couples don't agree, we try to help them focus on the points of agreement, which usually includes what matters most to bot...

Our experiences in life will shape the way that we think and feel about money. It's statistically impossible to run into somebody who hasn't lost a loved one and hopefully that's not a really painful story to tell.  That's one reason why we talk about the role of life insurance in planning so hopefully emotional travesties don't become a financial one.  In this podcast epi...

At Haas Financial Group we love statistics!  We often play a fun game where someone has a statistic and the other person has to guess what they think it is.  Oftentimes the actual answer is wildly different than what we were thinking.  That proves the point that conventional wisdom is often not in line with the statistic and it leaves us trying to figure out why there is a disconnect between what...

In this podcast episode, we provide a checklist to help prepare for your final career year.  This is partially a financial conversation, but what we've come to recognize is that during this time of change, many experience fears of getting it wrong, failure, and anticipating loneliness. There's a big psychological hurdle to approaching financial independence too. When we talk about prepar...

Nobody wants to relive the results of last year from a market perspective.  But, we can use this historical context as a guide to shape our outlook for 2023. The odds of us having a positive year this year are in our favor, even though we are still facing many of the same issues.  Ben and Adam hope that giving some historical context will help investors understand what to expect from investments t...

The New Year naturally presents a time for people to hit the reset button and think about what matters most to them, especially through the lens of financial planning.  When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier.    We use your Statement of Financial Purpose as a powerful tool to help align what you're doing in your life from a financial perspective. We are big propone...

We are quickly approaching the end of 2022.  In case you missed some of our podcast episodes this year, Adam and Ben recap their favorites from the year.  If you have some downtime during the holiday season, it may be the perfect time to take a listen! (1:59) Episode # 63: How to plan when you don't have a well-defined goal. https://www.haasfinancialgroup.com/podcast/ep-63-how-plan-when-you-d...

In this episode, we run through some financial housekeeping items to cross off before the end of the year. Retirement account deadlines - employer plans, IRA, Roth IRA contribution limits and timing Roth conversions - what it is and why you may want to consider it What are Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts What is tax loss harvesting and how does it work Education funding Holi...